Who is Hal Willner? SNL honors late music supervisor with tribute

Who is Hal Willner? At the end of this weekend’s new episode of SNL, there was a tribute that honored the late staff member.

If you did not hear the sad news about Willner, the acclaimed SNL music producer who was responsible for helping to coordinate much of the way that the show sounded for many years. He was someone known and beloved by many within the music and show community, and he ended up passing away at the age of 64.

Most of the reporting out there from Willner suggests that he passed away as a victim of the horrible pandemic that is currently taking over much of the world. His last post on Twitter was him sending love to John Prine, a brilliant performer who we also lost recently. His message is all the more sad when you consider that.

If you want to get more of a behind-the-scenes insight into the work that Hal did on the show, Seth Meyers has that for you in the video below. He describes from home his experiences with him and the immense value that he brought to the sketch show. Meyers is of course the former Weekend Update anchor and a leading presence from within the show’s writer’s room.

The tribute for Willner is incredibly important for the sake of recognizing his work, and also making sure his friends and loved ones know that he is valued. Sometimes, SNL will recognize a late talent with a title card, but this time around they featured a lot of present and former cast members talking about his work — leading into a brief performance of the classic “Perfect Day.” Fred Armisen talked about his love of puppets, while John Mulaney opened up about how Hal welcomed him into his life when he didn’t have to. Seeing people like Adam Sandler and Bill Hader in this video, plus Maya Rudolph in the song, showcased just how much he meant to this show.

While tonight’s episode was funny, tributing Willner was the perfect way to conclude it.

Related News – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to get some more news on this weekend’s SNL

SNL loved him, and with that we loved him. Our thoughts and condolences go out to all of his family during this difficult, emotional time. (Photo: NBC.)